'Why do birds sing?'

Are you a morning person? I am. Every day, I set the alarm for 7am and get up gladly, even though I’ve no compulsion to do so if I chose not to; being retired. Then without fail, I sing in the shower. This morning practice of mine has remained with me throughout my life and irritates my sister Mary no end whenever we go off for the weekend in Scarborough and share some self-catering apartments. Our Mary believes that all singing should be banned before 10am, and only then engaged in on the strict proviso that the culprit exercising his/her lungs is a ‘good’ singer. Naturally, I remind her what my mother often told me. I tell her that the ability to sing a song either well or badly is neither here nor there and that everyone has the right to sing. Below is one of my favourites by the great Ronnie Ronalde who is the world's finest whistler and imitator of birds: 'In a Monastery Garden.' Enjoy:

Whoever said that ‘good singers’ have been designated as the only warblers to express themselves happily in song? Surely, anyone of any worth has the right to sing? Do not their musical expressions carry every bit as much meaning as the next person in the choir of life? There is no passion in the human soul that doesn’t find itself in music, and once found, surely it cannot be unhealthy or wrong to express it!

I grew up with my mother's morning rendition of her favourite song, 'Far away places'. Whatever the weather or her mood, she never failed to sing it out of tune and out of verse. Whenever I berated her for her inability to hold a tune or remember a line, she would always reply with the same words: 'Everyone has the right to sing, Billy; even those who can't. The woods would be a silent place if no birds sang there except those that sang best!' She was of course right in what she said and I wish she was around now to sing her song. She may not have been able to hold a tune, but she always had a song to sing. Her favourite singer was Vera Lynn; someone in later years who became a friend of mine. Love you, Mum. Miss you lots. Your son,Billy. Enjoy:

All my life while growing up on Windybank Estate in liversedge, West Yorkshire, my mother woukld never let one day pass by before singing bits from a favourite song of hers called, 'The Isle of Innesfree'. This song came from the film 'The Quiet Man' starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. There has never been one Christmas since my childhood when I have not watched this film at home, as have others in the Forde Family. In memory of my loving Mum, I sing this song for her.

When I was growing up and not yet 10 years old, I became enthralled by a singer/whistler called Ronnie Ronalde. My father, who rarely sang also loved the whistling of Ronnie, who was then described as being the finest whistler in the world. His imitation of British birds was beyond belief. He kindly sent me an autographed book and tape for the honeymoon period me and Sheila spent in Morocco in 2010. Until recently he still lived and was happily whistling away. I include the very first time he stirred my heart and soul with his magical sound: 'If I was a Blackbird.' Enjoy:

I was once asked,” Do you know why birds sing?” Upon replying in the negative, the answer came back, “Birds sing because they have a song to sing.” So, the very next time that anyone knocks your humble offerings in the bath or around the house, simply remind them that you are simply singing 'the song of life.' Who knows, they might even say, "Blow it! You sing and I'll whistle!"